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Cnotes College Basketball Best Bets Thru March Madess !

Early Tournament Previews

March 1, 2013

It's time to get acquainted with some new teams!

While we have made reference to the much-publicized "Selection Sunday" looming on the horizon (Mar. 17) for the fast-approaching NCAA Tournament, that's also the day the other postseason tourneys announce their fields as well. And, as we know, all of the surviving "off" conference teams suddenly become "on the board" teams in those various events.

A handful of these leagues have had numbers posted this season in the "added games" at most Las Vegas sports books, so a decent number of teams are already somewhat familiar. Still, some leagues will be making their debuts on the "big board" in the next few weeks, and it makes sense to familiarize ourselves with the best of this lower-echelon lot, which will be getting more exposure in coming days. Last year, the likes of Mercer, Fairfield, Oakland, and a few others provided multiple wagering opportunities as they progressed in the various postseason competitions.

The rather recent introduction of two new events (the CollegeInsider.com Tourney, or CIT, and the College Basketball Invitational, or CBI) has provided more non-Big Dance opportunities for entries from the low-major conferences. Many of these loops are now sending multiple entries to the postseason, so it behooves handicappers to begin paying attention to these sides before they enter either the Big Dance, NIT, CBI, or CIT.

We've already gotten a look at several of these teams in last weekend's BracketBusters, and many of the upcoming conference tournaments will be televised (the introduction of ESPN-3, which streams on computers, has added countless more college hoops viewing opportunities and will be providing added coverage for many of the lower-rung D-I conference tourneys). Many Las Vegas sports books will also be offering prices on these lower-echelon conference tourney matchups, and will most assuredly be posting prices whenever teams from those leagues are involved in NIT, CBI, or CIT action.

We've listed below, by conference alphabetical order, upcoming tournament specifics for those lower-profile Division I leagues. Also included are any teams that enjoy homecourt tourney edges; the top contenders in each loop, noted by italics, with any clear-cut favorite or co-favorite accompanied by an *; a quick preview of the tourneys; and last season's conference results in the NCAA, NIT, CBI, and CIT. Before Selection Sunday, we'll also review how these leagues have fared in recent Big Dance action.

March Mayhem has arrived!

AMERICA EAST...First round, quarterfinals, and semis March 7, 9-10 at SEFCU Arena, Albany, NY (home court of Albany); final March 12 at home of highest remaining seed. Top contenders--Stony Brook, Boston U, Vermont. Steve Pikiell's Stony Brook Seawolves have assumed command of the league race in recent weeks and will almost assuredly enter the conference tourney as the top seed. Though down three starters from last year's NIT qualifier, Pikiell nonetheless added the AE's Newcomer of the Year, battering ram 6-8 frosh PF Jameel Warney, who leads all Seawolves scorers at 12.1 ppg while hitting better than 62% of his FG attempts (mostly from short range). In a league without many quality bigs, the 255-lb. Warney has become the loop's most feared interior scoring threat. Over the last five games, Warney is hitting an even more eye-opening 73.1% from the floor. The backcourt has an upperclassmen look to it with jr. Gs Dave Coley (top-notch defender) and Anthony Jackson, while 6-5 sr. F Tommy Brenton was the AE's Defender of the Year last season. Keep an eye, however, on the Boston U Terriers, who entered Thursday's showdown with Stony Brook having won six in a row, with frosh G Maurice Watson, Jr. posting some big numbers in recent games. We also wouldn't sleep on Vermont, which beat CAA leader Northeastern and Ivy leader Harvard in pre-league play and just dispatched dangerous Canisius in the BracketBusters. Four starters returned for the Catamounts from last year's conference tourney winner and NCAA qualifier, joined by Illinois State transfer G Trey Blue, who broke into the starting lineup in early February and has scored in double digits in four of his last five games. Last year...NCAA-Vermont lost vs. North Carolina, 77-58; NIT-Stony Brook lost vs. Seton Hall, 63-61; CIT-Albany lost vs. Manhattan, 89-79.

ATLANTIC SUN...Tourney March 6-9 at University Center, Macon, GA (home court of Mercer). Top contenders-Mercer, Florida Gulf Coast, Stetson. By winning eight straight prior to a showdown on Thursday vs. FGCU, Mercer has guaranteed itself the top seed in next week's conference tourney, contested on its own home floor. Better yet for the Bears, there's no Belmont to worry about in this year's A-Sun, with the Bruins having moved their act to the Ohio Valley. Remember, Mercer ran the table to a surprise win in the CIT last year and returns much of that team for HC Bob Hoffman, including Gs Langston Hall (a lanky 6-4 and a good defensive stopper as well) and Travis Smith, both scoring in double digits. Fort Myers-based FGCU made some headlines way back in November when upsetting Miami-Florida, and the Eagles were not embarrassed in other non-league games at Duke and Iowa State. Sherwood Brown, a powerful 6-4 sr. G, has emerged as a compelling force (scoring 15.8 ppg) for the Eagles, who appear to have the best chance vs. Mercer. Last year...NCAA-Belmont lost vs. Georgetown, 74-59; CIT-Mercer won vs. Tennessee State, 68-60; won vs. Georgia State, 64-59; won at Old Dominion, 79-73; won at Fairfield, 64-59; won at Utah State in title game, 70-67; USC-Upstate won vs. Kent State, 73-58; lost at Old Dominion, 65-56.

BIG SKY...Tourney March 14-16 at home of regular-season champion (Montana or Weber State). Top contenders-Montana, Weber State. They've been anticipating another Big Sky Tourney showdown between the Grizzlies and Wildcats since prior to Thanksgiving. The teams split their two regular-season meetings, the home side winning each, which could mean advantage Montana in the tourney as the Grizzlies hold a one-game lead over Weber in the conference table entering the weekend. The Grizzlies really hit stride in mid-December when leading returning scorer G Will Cherry overcame an early-season foot injury; Montana quickly embarked upon a 14-game SU win streak when Cherry (13.2 ppg) returned to the starting lineup. There could be problems, however; Cherry re-injured his foot in the BracketBusters OT loss at Davidson, and sr. F Mathias Ward (leading scorer this season at 14.8 ppg) looks to be out for a longer duration with his own foot injury suffered last week. Weber State is now the in-form side with seven wins on the trot (including an 87-63 romp at Ogden vs. Montana on Valentine's Day night) entering Thursday's game vs. Sac State. Vet HC Randy Rahe has an athletic squad bolstered by Cal State Monterey Bay Sea Otter transfer Davion Berry, an explosive 6-4 G scoring 15 ppg and shooting 50% from the floor. Note that this tourney has changed its format slightly from last season, with the entire event scheduled at the regular-season winner, even if it isn't involved in the title game. Last year...NCAA-Montana lost vs. Wisconsin, 73-49; CIT-Weber State won vs. Utah Valley State, 72-69; lost in OT at Loyola-Marymount, 84-78.

BIG SOUTH...Tourney March 5, 7, 9-10 at HTC Center, Conway, SC (home court of Coastal Carolina); Top contenders-High Point, Charleston Southern, Gardner-Webb. Regional sources are alerting to the recent uptick from Gardner-Webb, the only Big South contender to win its BracketBuster last week (vs. College of Charleston) and carrying a six-game SU win streak into Saturday's reg.-season finale vs. the Presbyterian Blue Hose. The Runnin' Bulldogs from Boiling Springs, NC also just knocked off contender Charleston Southern at midweek, though high scorer and former Mississippi Valley State transfer G, explosive Tashan Newsome (14.1 ppg), has been in a recent shooting slump (just 11 of 45 FGs and 8 ppg last four). Newsome had previously posted four straight 20+-point efforts. High Point, coached by former North Carolina player and George Mason (during the Final Four year) assistant Scott Cherry, might be flattening out a bit with two straight losses following a 7-game win streak. But Panther 6-7 frosh F G John Brown (17 ppg) has clearly been the league's top newcomer. As for Charleston Southern, note that the Buccaneers were competitive vs. a variety of high-profile foes (Charlotte, Arizona, Alabama, Wichita State) in pre-league play. Last year...NCAA-UNC-Asheville lost vs. Syracuse, 72-65; CIT-Coastal Carolina lost at Old Dominion, 68-66.

MEAC...Tourney March 11-16 at the Scope, Norfolk, VA (not the home court of Norfolk State, which plays its games at Echols Hall); First round pits seed 4 vs. 13, 5 vs. 12, 6 vs. 11, 7 vs. 10, and 8 vs. 9; winners advance to quarterfinals, and so forth, Top contenders-Norfolk State, NC-Central, Savannah State. Fans of the old ABA might recall the venue for this year's MEAC Tourney, the Norfolk Scope, then a rather new facility when one of the "regional" homes (along with the nearby Hampton-Roads Coliseum in the Tidewater area, the Roanoke Civic Center, and the Richmond Coliseum) in the early 1970s for the old Virginia Squires, Julius Erving's first pro team. Norfolk State, which stunned Missouri in last year's Big Dance, no longer can count upon frontliner Kyle O'Quinn (now with the NBA Orlando Magic), but the Spartans are unbeaten in league play entering this weekend. A truly top-heavy league, with Norfolk, NC-Central, and Savannah State head and shoulders above the rest of the loop (and the only teams above .500 for the season in the alliance). Last year...NCAA-Norfolk State won vs. Missouri, 86-84; lost vs. Florida, 84-50; NIT-Savannah State lost vs. Tennessee, 65-51.

NORTHEAST...Quarterfinals March 6, semis March 9, final March 12, all at home of highest seed. Top contenders-Robert Morris, Bryant, Wagner, Long Island, Quinnipiac. Another wide-open-looking conference tourney, although Robert Morris, the home team of the Pittsburgh Airport, has moved to the lead in the conference race with wins in six of its last seven games. A well-balanced squad featuring four DD scorers (including all-name F Lucky Jones), the Colonials advanced the quarterfinals of the CIT last season and opened some eyes with a couple of impressive pre-league efforts, including a home upset of Ohio U, another home win over Cleveland State when the Vikings were healthy and had F Anton Grady in the lineup, and a near-miss at Arkansas. Bryant, led by Columbia transfer F Dyami Starks (17.9 ppg), has been one of the nation's best storylines after winning just twice last season. Bob Beckel's alma mater Wagner is the deepest team in the league (bench goes 10 deep) and features rugged PF Jonathon Williams (15 ppg). Last year...NCAA-Long Island lost vs. Michigan State, 89-67; CIT-Robert Morris won at Indiana State, 67-60; won at Toledo, 69-51; lost at Fairfield, 67-61; CBI-Quinnipiac lost at Penn, 74-63.

OHIO VALLEY...Tourney March 6-9 at Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, TN (not the home court of Nashville-based Tennessee State, which plays its games at the Gentry Complex, or Nashville-based Belmont, which plays its games at the Mike Curb Events Center). Top contenders-Belmont, Murray State, Eastern Kentucky. Belmont's move from the Atlantic Sun has strengthened the OVC, and the Bruins' recent whip job of Ohio in the BracketBusters suggests that Rick Byrd's team also has a decent Big Dance at-large argument (especially with its RPI in the low 20s) should it lose in this event. And having the tourney conducted across town from campus at the old Nashville Municipal Auditorium should be a plus. Star G Ian Clark (18.4 ppg) could be a breakout performer in March. Keep an eye, however, on defending loop champ Murray State and star G Isaiah Canaan (21.2 ppg), familiar to many for his exploits a year ago when the Racers won a game in the Big Dance before pushing Marquette in the Round of 32. Murray also won the only regular-season matchup (79-74) vs. Belmont. Last Year...NCAA-Murray State won vs. Colorado State, 58-41; lost vs. Marquette, 62-53; CIT-Tennessee Tech lost at Georgia State, 74-43; Tennessee State lost at Mercer, 68-60.

PATRIOT...Quarterfinals March 6, semifinals March 9, final March 13, all at home of higher seed. Top contenders-Bucknell, Lehigh, Lafayette. With eight wins in its last nine games prior to the regular-season finale vs. Navy, Bucknell has taken command of the race in the past few weeks and will have homecourt edge in the conference tourney. Interestingly, the road team won both regular-season meetings involving the Bison and top contender Lehigh, which is hopeful that star G C.J. McCollum (23.9 ppg, but out since early January with a foot injury) might return in time for the conference tourney. The Mountain Hawks (last year's surprise package, which upset Duke in the NCAA sub-regionals) could use McCollum, too, as they had lost three of their last four entering Saturday's game vs. Army. Last Year...NCAA-Lehigh won vs. Duke, 75-70; lost vs. Xavier, 70-58; NIT-Bucknell won at Arizona, 65-54; lost at Nevada, 75-67; CIT-American U. lost vs. Buffalo, 78-61.

SOUTHERN...Tourney March 8-11 at ExploreAsheville.com Arena, Asheville, NC. Top contenders-Davidson*, Elon, College of Charleston. Regional observers are suggesting the SoCon isn't quite as deep this season, as only Davidson, Elon, and Charleston have above-.500 SU records entering March. Still, Davidson has all of its starters back from last year's SoCon championship side that pushed Louisville to the limit in the NCAA sub-regional at Portland. The Wildcats boast of one of the nation's unique weapons, 6-10 F Jake Cohen, a Euro-style performer who likes to float to the perimeter and shoot 3s and is hitting 50% of his FG tries. Also, do not fall behind the Wildcats and expect them to give away their game at the FT line; Davidson leads the country at a staggering 81.8% FTs. We'd be surprised if Bob McKillop's side doesn't make a return trip to the NCAAs. Last year...NCAA-Davidson lost vs. Louisville, 69-62; CBI-Wofford lost at Pittsburgh, 81-63.

SOUTHLAND...Tourney March 13-16 at Merrell Center, Katy, TX. Top contenders-Stephen F. Austin, Northwestern State, Oral Roberts. SFA will be the favorite in the conference tourney for good reason, as some believe the Lumberjacks might have an NCAA at-large case if they lose in Katy, thanks in part to an RPI that was ranked in the top 20 before league play commenced and notable road wins at Oklahoma and in the BracketBuster at Long Beach State. Disciplined and well-balanced for mustachioed HC Danny Kaspar, with only one DD scorer, F Taylor Smith (15.7 ppg), shooting an astounding 70% from the floor. The Jacks just don't take many bad shots and are snarling on the stop end, leading the nation in scoring defense (50.1 ppg). But Northwestern State, with four DD scorers and a winner over WAC leader La Tech in pre-Southland play as well as a conqueror of SFA on Jan. 26, and Oral Roberts, which moved to the Southland this season from the Summit and features sr. G Warren Niles (18.9 ppg), don't figure to roll over for the Lumberjacks. Last Year...NCAA-Lamar lost play-in game vs. Vermont, 71-59; NIT-UT-Arlington lost at Washington, 82-72; CIT-McNeese State lost at Toledo, 76-63.

SWAC...Tourney March 8-11 at Garland Special Events Center, Garland, TX. Top contenders-Southern U, Texas Southern, Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Southern U was the only league rep not below .500 in pre-league play (the Jags were 6-6), which included a 53-51 win at Texas A&M. The backcourt combo of instant-offense G Malcolm Miller (16.3 ppg and 47% beyond the arc, where he takes more than half of his shots, all from off the bench as the league's best sixth man, if not top player overall) and Derick Beltran (16.1 ppg) paces Southern. Houston-based Texas Southern, however, had won nine in a row SU prior to Thursday's showdown vs. the Jags, while Bowling Green transfer PF DaVon Hayes (12 ppg) has added some frontline presence to pesky UA-Pine Bluff, as the Golden Lions had won 7 of their last 8 (including a 55-52 home win over Southern) prior to their regular-season finale vs. Jerry Rice's alma mater, the Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State. Last year...NCAA-Mississippi Valley State lost play-in game vs. Western Kentucky, 59-58.

SUMMIT...Tourney March 9-12 at Sioux Falls Arena, Sioux Falls, SD (not the home court of nearby, Brookings-based South Dakota State, which plays its home games at Frost Arena, or nearby, Vermillion-based South Dakota, which plays its home games at the Dakota Dome). The Summit League was formerly known as Mid-Continent Conference. Top contenders-South Dakota State, North Dakota State, Western Illinois. Although the top contenders all lost their BracketBusters games last weekend, the league still intrigues with its varied styles and well-coached outfits. Both SDSU and NDSU have made Big Dance appearances recently; the SDSU Jackrabbits have much the same look as they did a year ago when advancing to the Dance, led by G Nate Wolters, who scored 53 points in one game this year and spearheaded a rousing upset win at New Mexico in another game in December. As for the NDSU Bison, the good news is that star 6-7 jr. G Taylor Braun (on NBA radar screens) has returned from a six-week absence due to a foot injury, although he was a bit rusty (0 for 4 from the floor in 18 minutes of court time) in his first game back on Wednesday vs. Utah Valley State. Needless to say, NDSU's chances increase in the conference tourney if Braun can get back to near 100%. Keep an eye, too, on rugged and functional Western Illinois, where Lou Saban once coached the football team that spawned some other old AFL names such as Larry Garron and Booker Edgerson. Coached by ex-Bradley mentor Jim Molinari, the Leathernecks play nasty defense (allow mere 52.5 ppg, 2nd in nation behind only SFA), have a post game with 6-8, 250-lb. C Terell Parks (14 ppg & 57% from floor), and a savvy sixth-year sr. PG in Ceola Clark. Last year...NCAA-South Dakota State lost vs. Baylor, 68-60; CBI-North Dakota State lost at Wyoming, 76-75; CIT-Oakland won vs. Bowling Green, 86-69; won vs. Buffalo, 84-76; won vs. Rice, 77-70; lost at Utah State, 105-81.

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

With the Ides of March now upon us, and within the blink of an eye, the 2013 NCAA Basketball Tournament will begin its annual pulse-pounding extravaganza. In all likelihood hearts will be broken, a new champion crowned, and memories of upsets and game-winning shots will leave the court in assured dramatic fashion when the 'Big Dance' takes center stage in all of its glory on Thursday, March 21st.

Before we take in all the excitement 'Big Dance' has to offer there remains the final portion of the regular season as teams jockey for position prior to conference seeding tournament action. As you know, the higher the finish in the regular season standings the better the slotting a team gains in conference tourney play. And with it comes my favorite time of the regular season, namely College Basketball’s Last Home Games.

Last Home Game efforts often times finds a team putting its best foot forward. This happens primarily because teams choose to honor outgoing seniors in their final home game. It is 'their day', a game played in recognition of the sweat and toil laid on the line by seniors on the squad in their four years at the university. These games also carry added significance from other emotional angles as well.

Most teams look to leave a favorable impression in their final home game of the season. Adding fuel to the fire, revenge is a great performance enhancer in Last Home Game scenarios. Playing off a loss (or a string of defeats) tends to bring out the best in these finales. So, too, does playing in the role of an underdog, especially when it involves winning teams. In fact, a search of my database shows double digit (+10 or more points) conference underdogs in their final home game of the season are a rather nifty 74-55-3 ATS since 1990 heading into this season. Bring these guys in off either a double-digit spread win or a double-digit spread loss and they zoom to 17-5-1 ATS and 20-6-1 ATS respectively.

Think about that. As bad as they are, even double-digit home underdogs get up for their Last Home Game of the season, beating the spread over 57% of the time on the blind.

From this theory I have developed the most powerful Last Home Game Super System in College Basketball handicapping – bar none.

These plays produced a documented overall winning percentage of 70% ATS overall since 1980! Best of all you can get in on these fully Qualified Last Home Game Super System plays right here on VegasInsider.com from now until the end of the season. Be sure to check in daily for word on any and all qualifying plays as they happen.

As the final stretch run of the 2012-13 college basketball regular season is suddenly upon us, let me leave you with this list of 100% PERFECT ATS performers in Last Home Games. A minimum of five years of results was necessary to qualify...

FYI: Ohio University leads all teams long-term in Last Home Games, going 14-1 ATS. On the flip side, the biggest long-term loser is currently Duquesne at 1-11-1 ATS.

There you have it, my take on teams to watch in their Last Home Games of the season this year.

By 'Playing On' and 'Playing Against' each of the perfect performers on this list I'm certain you'll put yourself into position for the best time of the year, the upcoming NCAA Tournament. And by utilizing my famous Last Home Game Super System plays I guarantee you will!

Enjoy the games...

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

March is one of the best months of the year; tons of college basketball, spring training, the weather around here usually gets better, lot of good stuff going on. We’re approaching this March with as sense of optimism….here are some things I’m looking for this month.

13) Just the sound of ball meeting bat means winter is almost over; so what if #98 is pitching to #87, in a matchup of two prospects destined to spend the summer in the California Penal League? Its baseball, and its always good when spring training starts up.

12) College basketball is our favorite sport, which makes March one of our favorite months; Championship Week is almost as much fun as the NCAA tournament itself, since for some teams, just getting in is the main thing. Love to see teams celebrate when they win their conference tournaments.

11) Teams that will be very, very nervous until they win their conference tournament: Northeastern-Louisiana Tech-Belmont-Long Beach.

These teams won their regular season in their leagues, but won’t be going to the NCAAs unless they win the league tournament, too. Tech is unbeaten in the WAC; would be a shame if they got upset out west.

10) VCU’s old league, the CAA, will only have seven teams in its conference tournament, as four of its 11 schools are ineligible for the tourney this year. Northeastern gets the #1 seed and a bye, so they’ll have to win two pressure-packed games to make the NCAAs.

9) With the NCAA field expanded to 68 teams, no one who is excluded has that much of a gripe, but whomever #69/#70 are will whimper for a while, then limp off to the NIT. Question is, can any of the First Four teams make a run through the brackets, the way VCU did two years ago? VCU’s run was a God-send for the NCAA, silencing any complaints about those first four games in Dayton. Can it happen again?

8) No #1 seed has ever lost to a #16 seed; is this the year? Who will those four #1 seeds be? This season, #1 teams have been getting bounced left and right, so it figures that this could be a year where a #16 seed pulls a shocker, but the talent different between those teams is so big, a lot of things will have to fall into place for the big upset to happen.

7) This time of year, I don’t want to see the name of any the guys on my fantasy baseball team in the news; its almost always bad news. No injuries this year, please? I'm looking at you, Carl Crawford.

6) They’re selling hats from World Baseball Classic teams for $35 a pop; not good. Do people watch the WBC? I’m not sure if I’ll watch it or not, I guess I will if its on when basketball isn’t. Just hope Jose Reyes doesn’t pop a hammy running out a grounder.

5) Speaking of which, Dodgers can’t be real happy that Hanley Ramirez is playing 3B at the WBC so Reyes can play short; LA needs Ramirez to gets used to playing a solid shortstop. Tom Gordon killed them with sloppy defense at short LY.

4) Pac-12 tourney is in Las Vegas for first time, at MGM Arena; with Bill Walton calling games on ESPN, this could replace Big East as the premiere conference tournament on TV.

Walton is capable of saying anything at any time; he really is fun to listen to, especially if it’s a good game- conference tournaments produce good games.

3) First major league baseball game that counts is March 31, Astros-Rangers, Houston’s first game as an AL team.

Opening Day is the next day. Interleague play will be every day now, with 15 teams in each league for the first time.

2) For every winner there is a loser, and in big-time college sports, losers get fired. The coaching carousel will start spinning faster in March; right now USC is the #1 job that could be open, but Old Dominion has a strong history too and that job is already open. By the time the Final Four rolls around, a lot more jobs will be open.

1) Common wisdom I’ve heard on TV is that around 20 teams have a legit chance to make the Final Four; that’s a lot. People’s brackets are going to have some diversity to them this year. Enjoy your March and good luck with your brackets!!!

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

Yale at Columbia
The Bulldogs look to build on their 8-0 ATS record in their last 8 games against Columbia. Yale is the pick (+4) according to Dunkel, which has the Bulldogs favored by 3 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Yale (+4). Here are all of today's games.

DARTMOUTH (6 - 18) at PENNSYLVANIA (7 - 19) - 3/1/2013, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PENNSYLVANIA is 72-102 ATS (-40.2 Units) in all home games since 1997.
PENNSYLVANIA is 72-102 ATS (-40.2 Units) in home lined games since 1997.
PENNSYLVANIA is 30-52 ATS (-27.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
PENNSYLVANIA is 20-40 ATS (-24.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games since 1997.
PENNSYLVANIA is 15-29 ATS (-16.9 Units) in home games versus poor offensive teams - scoring <=64 points/game after 15+ games since 1997.
PENNSYLVANIA is 20-35 ATS (-18.5 Units) in home games versus poor offensive teams - scoring <=64 points/game since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
PENNSYLVANIA is 3-2 against the spread versus DARTMOUTH over the last 3 seasons
PENNSYLVANIA is 5-0 straight up against DARTMOUTH over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

Head-to-Head Series History
CORNELL is 4-1 against the spread versus BROWN over the last 3 seasons
CORNELL is 5-0 straight up against BROWN over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

YALE (11 - 16) at COLUMBIA (11 - 13) - 3/1/2013, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
YALE is 37-20 ATS (+15.0 Units) in road games on Friday nights since 1997.
YALE is 36-20 ATS (+14.0 Units) in road games when playing with 5 or 6 days rest since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
YALE is 5-0 against the spread versus COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
YALE is 5-0 straight up against COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

HARVARD (17 - 7) at PRINCETON (14 - 9) - 3/1/2013, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HARVARD is 9-23 ATS (-16.3 Units) in March games since 1997.
HARVARD is 84-114 ATS (-41.4 Units) after a conference game since 1997.
PRINCETON is 29-18 ATS (+9.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PRINCETON is 29-18 ATS (+9.2 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
PRINCETON is 16-4 ATS (+11.6 Units) on Friday nights over the last 3 seasons.
PRINCETON is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
PRINCETON is 91-63 ATS (+21.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
PRINCETON is 4-2 against the spread versus HARVARD over the last 3 seasons
PRINCETON is 3-3 straight up against HARVARD over the last 3 seasons
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

MARIST (8 - 20) at SIENA (7 - 21) - 3/1/2013, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MARIST is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
MARIST is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) in road games after scoring 80 points or more since 1997.
SIENA is 20-35 ATS (-18.5 Units) against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MARIST is 3-2 against the spread versus SIENA over the last 3 seasons
SIENA is 4-1 straight up against MARIST over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

FAIRFIELD (17 - 12) at MANHATTAN (11 - 16) - 3/1/2013, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MANHATTAN is 34-23 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MANHATTAN is 34-23 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
FAIRFIELD is 77-54 ATS (+17.6 Units) in road games against conference opponents since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
MANHATTAN is 4-2 against the spread versus FAIRFIELD over the last 3 seasons
FAIRFIELD is 4-2 straight up against MANHATTAN over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

LOYOLA-MD (20 - 9) at IONA (15 - 13) - 3/1/2013, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOYOLA-MD is 24-5 ATS (+18.5 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points since 1997.
LOYOLA-MD is 104-55 ATS (+43.5 Units) in road games since 1997.
LOYOLA-MD is 104-55 ATS (+43.5 Units) in road lined games since 1997.
LOYOLA-MD is 88-43 ATS (+40.7 Units) in road games against conference opponents since 1997.
LOYOLA-MD is 35-17 ATS (+16.3 Units) in road games revenging a home loss vs opponent since 1997.
LOYOLA-MD is 55-36 ATS (+15.4 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
LOYOLA-MD is 34-18 ATS (+14.2 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
IONA is 45-67 ATS (-28.7 Units) in home games against conference opponents since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
IONA is 3-2 against the spread versus LOYOLA-MD over the last 3 seasons
IONA is 3-2 straight up against LOYOLA-MD over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

-- Dartmouth lost its last five games, all by 9+ points; they lost 67-57 at home to Penn Feb 16, after leading by 12 at half. Big Green shot 35.6% for game; Quakers shot 64% inside arc. Ivy league home favorites of 7+ points are 7-8 vs spread. Penn split its four Ivy home games, winning by 4-23 points; they're 3-2 in last five games overall. Dartmouth is 1-4 on Ivy road, losing by 5-23-9-11 points.
-- Brown lost five of last seven games, losing last three road games, by 7-17-23 points; they turned ball over 16 times (-7) in 69-66 home loss to Cornell Jan 16, when both sides were 8-20 from arc. Bruins are 1-4 on Ivy road, losing by 12-7-17-23 points, with two of those losses in OT. Ivy League home favorites of 5 or less points are 4-5 vs spread. Cornell is 1-4 at home in Ivy, with only win by 23 over Dartmouth.
-- Yale won four of last six games, winning at Princeton/Penn in last two on road; Bulldogs shot 70% (28-40) inside arc in 75-56 home win over Columbia Jan 16, game Yale led 43-21 at half. Ivy League home favorites of 5 or less points are 4-5 vs spread. Lions lost seven of last nine games, but they upset first-place Harvard here; five of Columbia's seven losses in conference play are by six or less points.
-- Harvard won eight of last nine games; they lead Princeton by game in Ivy standings; since there is no tournament in Ivy, Harvard win here will pretty much put them in NCAAs. Crimson beat Princeton 69-57 Jan 16 at home, game they led by 4 at half. Ivy League home favorites of 7 or less points are 5-7 vs spread. Harvard's only Ivy loss was at Columbia by 15. Princeton is 4-1 at home in Ivy, with only loss to Yale.

-- Siena won 79-75 at Marist Jan 27, after trailing by 13 in first 9:00 of game; Saints lost five of last six games, with five losses by 10+ points. Six of seven Siena wins this season were by 4 or less points, or in OT. Seven of last eight Marist games were decided by 6 or less points; they are 1-7 on MAAC road, with only win in double OT at Iona. MAAC home underdogs of 3 or less points are 5-3 against the spread.
-- Fairfield won seven of its last nine games, winning last two on road, by 7-10 points, but one of losses was awful 62-40 loss to Manhattan at home, when Stags shot 25.4% from floor, 7-18 from foul line. MAAC home teams are 9-6 if spread is 3 or less points. Jaspers won five of last six games after starting season 6-15; they've won three of last four home games, with only loss in that span to Niagara by four.
-- Loyola won five of last six games, with three of five wins by 4 or less points; Greyhounds were outscored 20-8 on line in 79-71 home loss to Iona Jan 27, when Gaels shot 58% inside arc. Snakebit Iona lost six of its last seven games, with three losses in OT, and other three all by 3 or less points, including one loss where team hit 65-footer at buzzer to force an OT. MAAC home favorites of 6 or less points are 8-15 vs spread.

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

7:00 PM
MARIST vs. SIENA
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Marist's last 7 games on the road
Marist is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games on the road
Siena is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Marist
Siena is 3-10 ATS in its last 13 games when playing at home against Marist

7:00 PM
YALE vs. COLUMBIA
Yale is 5-15 SU in its last 20 games on the road
Yale is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Columbia
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Columbia's last 5 games when playing Yale
Columbia is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Yale

7:00 PM
DARTMOUTH vs. PENNSYLVANIA
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Dartmouth's last 8 games when playing on the road against Pennsylvania
Dartmouth is 1-14 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Pennsylvania's last 17 games when playing Dartmouth

7:00 PM
LOYOLA vs. IONA
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Loyola's last 5 games on the road
Loyola is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Iona's last 5 games when playing at home against Loyola
Iona is 18-2 SU in its last 20 games when playing at home against Loyola

7:00 PM
BROWN vs. CORNELL
Brown is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cornell
Brown is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Cornell's last 9 games
Cornell is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Brown

7:00 PM
HARVARD vs. PRINCETON
Harvard is 7-2-1 ATS in its last 10 games on the road
Harvard is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Princeton is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Harvard
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Princeton's last 6 games when playing at home against Harvard

9:00 PM
FAIRFIELD vs. MANHATTAN
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Fairfield's last 7 games when playing on the road against Manhattan
Fairfield is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Manhattan
Manhattan is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home
Manhattan is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing Fairfield

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

Heading into Thursday’s college basketball schedule, underdogs have gone 1573-1533-55 against the spread (50.64 percent) this season, which sits par for the course as far as oddsmakers are concerned.

Some conferences have followed suit, like the Mountain West, which enters Thursday’s slate with a 28-28-2 ATS record for underdogs in conference play. But other leagues, like the Pac-12, have – for lack of a better term – gone to the dogs.

As of Thursday, Pac-12 underdogs have produced a 54-31-2 ATS record – covering the spread at a profitable 63 percent.

While pups have posted just a 32-55 SU mark in those games, the ATS numbers show just how volatile the Pac-12 can be. Southern California’s 89-78 win over No. 11 Arizona as a 7.5-point home underdog Wednesday is a prime example.

Knowing which conferences have been bountiful to underdog bettors is not only useful in the final weeks of the schedule but shines light on which leagues have the most upset potential come conference tournament time.

Here are the best conferences for underdog bettors and how their tournaments are shaping up:

Pac-12 – 63 percent (Underdogs are 54-31-2 ATS, 32-55 SU)

Four teams are fighting it out for the top seed in the Pac-12 tournament – Oregon, UCLA, Arizona, Cal – but as Wednesday’s schedule proved (all three underdogs covered, two won SU), no team is safe no matter where they sit in the standings. Betting the Pac-12 postseason could be as easy as blindly siding with the underdogs each game.

Davidson is the class of the Southern once again at 16-1 SU in conference play. However, the Wildcats are just 8-9 ATS and have been favorites in each of those conference clashes. Finding value in the Southern tournament will come from those teams below Davidson, like Samford, which is 9-7 SU but 13-3 ATS in conference play - nine of those paydays coming as an underdog.

The MVC is one of the best little conferences in the land and the postseason race is hot and heavy with Wichita State and Creighton tied atop the standings heading into a showdown this Saturday. Both of those programs are in the conversation for an at-large NCAA bid but have also fallen at the hands of lesser MVC foes. Evansville could be the wildcard in the bunch, with two wins over WSU and six of their nine ATS conference wins coming as an underdog.

Northeastern has already clinched the CAA regular season title, with one game remaining on the schedule, and there is a nice battle for second in the conference between Delaware and Towson. George Mason, Georgia State and James Madison all finished with double-digit conference wins. The Panthers took one win over Northeastern this season and nearly knocked off the Huskies in overtime Wednesday. The CAA tournament could very well pop a NCAA bubble for one of the major-conference program if there's an upset winner.

Summit League – 55 percent (Underdogs are 36-29-0 ATS, 21-44 SU)

Heading into the final string of schedule, just two games separate No. 1 South Dakota State and No. 4 Oakland in the Summit standings. The Jackrabbits have the makings of a Cinderella team come March Madness but the league tournament could snuff out that shocker before Selection Sunday, especially if star Nate Wolters is slowed by a back injury. The fourth-place Golden Grizzlies have wins over South Dakota State and Western Illinois this year and could be a dog to watch in the postseason.

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

--The Cameron Crazies will undoubtedly be in rare form Saturday night when Duke (24-4 straight up, 15-13 against the spread) seeks to avenge an embarrassing loss at Miami from earlier this season. The Blue Devils will also be in bounce-back mode after going down Thursday night in Charlottesville.

--Virginia stayed perfect at home by beating Duke 73-68 as a one-point home favorite. In defeat, Seth Curry and Quinn Cook both drained four 3-pointers apiece and finished with 28 and 22 points, respectively.

--When these schools met in Coral Gables on Jan. 23, Miami ran Duke out of the gym early and often en route to a 90-63 win as a 2.5-point home underdog. The 153 combined points soared ‘over’ the 133.5-point total. Duran Scott was sensational with 25 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals, while Kenny Kadji finished with 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the floor. Mason Plumlee had 15 points and 11 boards in the losing effort.

--Miami (23-4 SU, 16-7-1 ATS) has already locked up a share of its first ACC regular-season title and can clinch the outright championship with a win in this spot. The Hurricanes, who are 14-1 against ACC foes, are coming off Wednesday’s 76-58 win over Va. Tech as 16-point home ‘chalk.’ Shane Larkin enjoyed another stellar performance, scoring 22 points while dishing out six assists compared to only one turnover. Larking made 8-of-12 shots from the field, including 3-of-5 from deep. Kadji finished with 20 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots.

--Larkin is on his way to earning first-team All-ACC honors. The sophomore guard, who is the son of MLB great Barry Larkin, is averaging 13.4 points per game and has a 117/59 assists-to-turnovers ratio. Scott and Kadji are averaging 13.1 and 13.0 PPG, respectively, for UM’s balanced offensive attack.

--Duke is undefeated in 14 home games with a 7-7 spread record. The Blue Devils have been single-digit home favorite just once, failing to cover the number in a 73-68 win over Ohio St. as 5.5-point favorites back on Nov. 28.

--Duke is No. 1 in the RPI Rankings thanks to a 4-1 record against the RPI Top 25, an 8-2 ledger against the RPI Top 50 and a 12-4 mark against the RPI Top 100. The Blue Devils’ profile includes wins over the likes of Minnesota, Louisville, VCU, Kentucky and Temple.

--Miami is third in the RPI Rankings, going 4-1 against the RPI Top 25, 6-1 versus RPI Top 50 opponents and 13-2 against RPI Top 100 foes.

--Miami has been a road underdog twice, winning outright at North Carolina (68-59) and at UMass (75-62). In four underdog situations, the ‘Canes are 3-1 both SU and ATS with their loss coming to Arizona on a neutral court.

--Most books opened Duke as a 6.5-point home favorite.

--The ‘over’ has cashed at an incredibly lucrative 11-1 clip in the last 12 head-to-head meetings between these ACC adversaries. In the last nine Miami-Duke encounters, the ‘Canes own a 6-1-2 spread record.

--The ‘under’ is 14-7-1 overall for UM, 7-4 in its 11 road assignments.

--The ‘over’ is 15-12 overall for Duke, but the ‘under’ is 7-6 in its home games with a total. Regardless of venue, the ‘over’ is on a 9-4 run in the Blue Devils’ last 13 games.

--ESPN will have the telecast at 6:00 p.m. Eastern.

**Arizona at UCLA**

--SportsBetting.com opened this game as a pick ‘em.

--Arizona (23-5 SU, 12-14 ATS) saw its three-game winning streak halted in Wednesday’s 89-78 loss at Southern Cal as a 7.5-point road favorite. The Wildcats got beaten 33-24 on the boards and shot just 40.0 percent from the field. They got a team-high 21 points, six assists and five steals from Solomon Hill.

--UCLA (21-7 SU, 11-16 ATS) has won 14 of its 17 home games while posting a 7-9 spread record.

--Ben Howland’s club has won three in a row and five of its last six, including Wednesday’s 79-74 win over Arizona St. in overtime. However, the Bruins failed to cover the spread as 7.5-point home ‘chalk.’ Kyle Anderson was the catalyst in the victory, tallying 21 points, 15 rebounds and four blocked shots. Jordan Adams had a team-high 22 points and Shabazz Muhammad finished with 21 points.

--Muhammad, the Las Vegas product who most recruitniks dubbed as the nation’s No. 1 prep player, has averaged a team-high 18.3 PPG for the Bruins. Larry Drew II, the point guard who transferred to Westwood from North Carolina, is fourth in the nation in assists with 7.8 APG. Drew has a 218/63 assists-to-turnovers ratio.

--Mark Lyons, the transfer guard from Xavier, leads the Wildcats in scoring with a 15.2 PPG average.

--When these Pac-12 rivals squared off in Tucson on Jan. 24, UCLA went into the McKale Center and won an 84-73 decision as an 8.5-point underdog. Muhammad scored a game-high 23 points, while David Wear had 15 points and eight rebounds. Drew dished out nine assists. For Arizona, Nick Johnson scored 23 points before fouling out. Lyons had 16 points but made only 6-of-17 from the field and had zero assists and five turnovers.

--UCLA is No. 39 in the RPI Rankings, compiling a 4-4 record against the RPI Top 50 and a 10-6 mark against the RPI Top 100.

--Sean Miller’s squad is 14th in the RPI Rankings, going 5-4 against RPI Top 50 opponents and 11-5 versus Top 100 foes.

--The ‘under’ is 14-8 for Arizona, 6-4 in its 10 true road assignments.

--The ‘under’ is 11-10 overall for UCLA, 5-5 in its home outings.

--The ‘under’ is 4-1 in the last five head-to-head meetings between UCLA and Arizona.

--Tip-off is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--Georgia is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games going into Saturday’s home game vs. Tennessee at Stegeman Coliseum. The Volunteers have won six in a row both SU and ATS. Most books opened Tennessee as a 1.5-point road favorite.

--With the Gators back at full strength for just the eighth game this season, most spots opened them as 17-point favorites Saturday vs. Alabama. ESPN will have television coverage at noon Eastern.

--Florida 2013 signee Chris Walker led Holmes County High School (in FL.) to a win over West Gadsden County in Wednesday’s state title game. Walker, a six-foot-10-inch center, averaged 25 points, 14 rebounds and 10 blocked shots in the state semifinals in Lakeland. The future Gator beat up on a former Gator’s team, as West Gadsden is coached by Andrew Moten, who led UF to its first NCAA Tournament bid (and the Sweet 16 before losing to eventual runner-up Syracuse in the Meadowlands) in 1987.

--St. John’s has suspended D’Angelo Harrison for the rest of the season. Harrison was third in the Big East in scoring, averaging 17.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

--Auburn head coach Tony Barbee is a goner.

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

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